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Were you ever late for an interview?

Biodegradable

It sounds like a terribly irresponsible thing, but in reality it must be quite common. Does it really look that bad if you're just a few minutes late for an interview? If you have to drive say 100 miles to the location of your interview, and you make a wrong turn after getting directions that are misleading, then something like that could cost you 20 minutes. And that might interrupt their whole interviewing schedule for the day. For other reasons it can be quite difficult to allow for how much time you'll will need in order to make it on time for an interview.

I think the best thing to do is to call them and let them know that you're going to be late. That was the mistake I made once. I knew I was going to be late, but I was in denial about it so I didn't ring them. After one interview I had a few years back, one of the interviewers rang me up the next day and told me how bad it looked that I was late for their interview. He said that the only reason he was telling me it was because he had a son that reminded me of him who was also struggling to get a job in his field!

In my last interview I was asked the question of how I'm organised, and I ended up talking about how I made sure I was on time for the interview itself as the example of how I'm organised! Is that odd?

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pauliebdub

I was late a good few years ago, got stuck in bad traffic, rang ahead and all but when I arrived twenty minutes late they told me to bugger off.

Richard Hillman

I think I was about 5mins late before but as I have learned from Job interviews, the interviewers are always late themselves. They left me standing there for about 20mins and was about to go home.

[Deleted User]

no, i'm chronically early
and if i'm too early i'll walk around

ps be nice to the receptionist, they'll ask their opinion

whisky_galore

I think it's the height of bad manners to be intentionally late, seems to be the norm here to turn up whenever one pleases.

Purple Mountain

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy wrote: »

I once left a premises without being interviewed. I showed up on time, but they left me sitting in a cold hallway for 20mins. I walked out, and when they phoned me to ask where I’d gone to, I told them why.

I once turned up to an interview and they weren't expecting me despite my rsvp via email that Id be there.
They tried to fudge some excuses but made time for me between people.
I did the interview, they had no cv in front of them so I was totally thrown.
It got my radar up about their disorganisation.
They emailed me back to invite me to round 2 but I declined.
And I could clearly see the email thread where I'd rsvpd previously so I knew I was not the disorganised one.
I was sorry after I just didn't decline to do first interview.
Waste of everyone's time.

Biodegradable

whisky_galore wrote: »

seems to be the norm here to turn up whenever one pleases.

Where?

Biodegradable

Purple Mountain wrote: »

I once turned up to an interview and they weren't expecting me despite my rsvp via email that 8d be there.
They tried to fudge some excuses but made time for me between people.
I did the interview, they had no cv in front of them so I was totally thrown.
It got my radar up about their disorganisation.
They emailed me back to invite me to round 2 but I declined.
And I could clearly see the email thread where I'd rsvpd previously so I knew I was not the disorganised one.
I was sorry after I just didn't decline to do first interview.
Waste of everyone's time.

Well if you travelled far for it you might as well have? Hardly a big regret!

Biodegradable

Strumms wrote: »

Yes, I left before... that evening the phone rang just before 6pm but I couldn’t be bothered to answer them, whatever their excuse or question was.. what I didn’t like too was the PA thought it was funny... I think if I was a PA in the situation I’m apologizing, informing why there is a delay and offering a refreshment such as tea, coffee or even just some water..

What's a PA? and in what way did he/she think it was funny?

donegal_man

Years ago when living in London I was among a large group of people who showed up for an interview only to be told the venue had been changed and we should have received a letter informing us (before mobile phone became ubiquitous).
The unfortunate receptionist took our names to reschedule, the letter with the new appointment arrived before the one advising of the change of location and included a reminder that it was very important to let their HR department know well in advance if you weren't going to attend.

Raconteuse

valoren wrote: »

Its subjective. Say someone is travelling to a 10am interview and an accident happens delaying them significantly, they contact the interviewer telling them they are delayed. They get there at 10.30 and it's a sorry you're late/no job situation?.

Someone here might say yes. Do you visit the Work & Jobs forum? Full of bad-ass employers/hiring managers.

The reality though is of course that they'd at least be understanding.

Ubbquittious

a few times. didnt get the job when i was late. once i showed up to the wrong building on time and had to make my way to the right one.

RugbyLover123

I had a number of job interviews for my first full time job after college. I was late to 3 of them off the top of my head. 10 minutes for the first and about 5 for the 2nd and 3rd.

1 was difficult to find in an industrial estate and had the wrong location in Google Maps. It also took me longer to get to then I thought.

The other 2 I went to the wrong part of the company first as there was more then 1 building on the complex (tbf both interviews were not in the area you'd have expected). Bad preparation by myself, as both companies did say where exactly the interview was in the small print.

I don’t think being late impacted me on not getting any of the jobs, as I got on very well in them, I just lacked experience needed for all 3. Thats what they said and thats what I tell myself anyway

As another poster said, if you care and want the job you make an effort to be 15 or so minutes early.

Tell me how

Yes.
Gave myself 30 minutes to travel a 6 minute car journey to one. Was less than a minute late, but was late according to the interviewer (which I agreed with).
When I told him there had been a road accident which resulted in a traffic jam which I was in the middle of and on a road where I could not just leave the car and walk, he said I should have accounted for that.
I decided there and then I didn't want to work there and the interview was over after about 15 minutes.

Already exists

I don't think I've ever been late for an interview. I've been early though - 12 hours early. Turned up at 8a.m. for an interview that was scheduled for 8p.m. In my defence the letter said 8 o'clock and didn't specify morning or evening.
It was my first interview after college and the rejection letter arrived in the post the next day - so was obviously posted before the rest of the candidates had been interviewed.

Paddy Cow

I was never late but when I was younger and less responsible, I once showed up for an interview hungover. I have a tendency to talk an awful lot of shyte when hungover. I was 21 and just moved to London and was being interviewed for a reservations job in a hotel. The woman interviewing me (who was also Irish) asked me what I thought my previous boss said about me when she rang for a reference.

Without thinking, I came out with "oh did you ring Mark? what did he say?"

This threw her for a second and she said that she hadn't actually rang him but what did I think he would say? I gave an answer and we had a good laugh about it and I got the job! I was pretty naive back then and she recognised I wasn't being intentionally disrespectful but I'd never say anything like that again. That was probably my worst booboo in an interview.

stevek93

Yes, once I planned an interview after work I got caught in work and stayed 10 15 minutes late to resolved an issue with the CEO's laptop, explained in the interview I had to deal with the CEO of my company which was true but they didn't believe me

Biodegradable

Tell me how wrote: »

I decided there and then I didn't want to work there and the interview was over after about 15 minutes.

So why did you bother being interviewed at all?

Biodegradable

Paddy Cow wrote: »

I gave an answer and we had a good laugh about it

What was the answer?

antodeco

I had to do a 2.5 hour drive for an interview. This was me finishing work at 5:30 (I had 24 hours notice for the interview) and had to be there for 8:00. I was late by about 10 minutes. Had rang ahead and told them. They knew I was driving literally across the country for it.

Aced the interview was really good. Didn't get the job, and the reason being was "late for the interview". I'd like to think I dodged a bullet for it.

Biodegradable

stevek93 wrote: »

I explained in the interview I had to deal with the CEO of my company which was true but they didn't believe me

And the annoying thing was you probably knew they wouldn't believe you, but you couldn't help but say it! Should you have forfeited the CEO's laptop for the interview?

Akrasia

Biodegradable wrote: »

And the annoying thing was you probably knew they wouldn't believe you, but you couldn't help but say it! Should you have forfeited the CEO's laptop for the interview?

I have never been late for an interview but every single interview I have ever attended left me sitting until at least 10 minutes after the interview was supposed to start

stevek93

Biodegradable wrote: »

And the annoying thing was you probably knew they wouldn't believe you, but you couldn't help but say it! Should you have forfeited the CEO's laptop for the interview?

Leave the CEO without a working laptop? Laters CEO gotta go to an interview

kippy

Your Face wrote: »

I was an over a hour late for an interview. I didn't apologise for it and I got the job. Never humble yourself for these people.

How would you deal with it if the roles were reversed?

Strumms

Biodegradable wrote: »

What's a PA? and in what way did he/she think it was funny?

The personal assistant to the hiring manager. I kept looking at my watch and on my phone obviously anxious at the time passing and she was just amused... “ any hour now haha” :rolleyes:

Kermit.de.frog

Make them wait for you OP.

Biodegradable

Strumms wrote: »

but she was just amused... “ any hour now haha” :rolleyes:

But in what way if I may ask?

LillySV

Biodegradable wrote: »

It sounds like a terribly irresponsible thing, but in reality it must be quite common. Does it really look that bad if you're just a few minutes late for an interview? If you have to drive say 100 miles to the location of your interview, and you make a wrong turn after getting directions that are misleading, then something like that could cost you 20 minutes. And that might interrupt their whole interviewing schedule for the day. For other reasons it can be quite difficult to allow for how much time you'll will need in order to make it on time for an interview.

I think the best thing to do is to call them and let them know that you're going to be late. That was the mistake I made once. I knew I was going to be late, but I was in denial about it so I didn't ring them. After one interview I had a few years back, one of the interviewers rang me up the next day and told me how bad it looked that I was late for their interview. He said that the only reason he was telling me it was because he had a son that reminded me of him who was also struggling to get a job in his field!

In my last interview I was asked the question of how I'm organised, and I ended up talking about how I made sure I was on time for the interview itself as the example of how I'm organised! Is that odd?

Interview for bank of Ireland in Dublin years ago....farmers had a big national strike at time....blacked up all transport.. should’ve been there 2 hours in advance .... ended up 10 mins late ... ran to it out of breath.... they let me in to the interview but I knew from their faces i was already done....didn’t get it

Strumms

Biodegradable wrote: »

But in what way if I may ask?

You’d need to ask her, instead as a representative of that company if it was me I’m not going to be amused, I’m going instead to say something like... “ sorry Mr Strumms the guys are obviously running behind, something must have gone wrong, you are the next candidate but can I get you a water, tea or coffee as you are waiting ?”.

That’s just me, I know people out there think somebody showing for an interview should be grateful and all subservient even if sat there for two fûcking hours but I certainly don’t, I value my time.

Biodegradable

Strumms wrote: »

You’d need to ask her, instead as a representative of that company if it was me I’m not going to be amused, I’m going instead to say something like... “ sorry Mr Strumms the guys are obviously running behind, something must have gone wrong, you are the next candidate but can I get you a water, tea or coffee as you are waiting ?”.

That’s just me, I know people out there think somebody showing for an interview should be grateful and all subservient even if sat there for two fûcking hours but I certainly don’t, I value my time.

But how did her mannerisms give away that she was amused? Did she laugh at your misfortune or something?

Strumms

Biodegradable wrote: »

But how did her mannerisms give away that she was amused? Did she laugh at your misfortune or something?

Correct, their unprofessional rather than anyone’s misfortune.